Portable traction device



1959 w. c. DEMAREST ETAL 2,871,853

PORTABLE TRACTION DEVICE Filed Nov. '7; 1957 United States Patent F 6 Claims. Cl. 128-84) This invention relates to a physio-therapeutic device, and more particularly toanapparatus' for developing and applying, through the medium of a harness applied to the body of the patient, an intermittent tractive force.

\Still 'more particularly, this invention relates. toia,

readily portable apparatus for the application ofinter-- mittent traction, which apparatus includes novel mounting and adjusting features, thereby rendering such apparatus adaptable for use in a wide variety of situations in which the patient may be positioned.

The benefits of intermittent traction as well as'the advantages of providing a portable, intermittent traction device, have been fully set forth in the copending joint application of William C. Demarest and Edward Malmstrom, Serial No. 611,253, filed September 21, 1956.

.While the unit described and claimed in theabove mentionedlcopending application in a measure satisfies the requirements of flexibility of operation and portability,

it has been found desirable to provide a portable intermit-n tent traction device adapted particularly for use inconnection with hospital type beds, and other patient sup-,

porting surfaces which are capable of maintaining the patient. in a canted, partially'reclining, tilted, recumbent or prone position.

It is desirable that a tractive force in treatments outlined be applied as nearly as possible in parallelism withachieved through the use of traction generators integrated" within cumbersome and expensivesupporting surfaces, portable apparatusparticularly adapted to apply parallel intermittent traction to a patient lying in a hospital bed.

or like tiltable surface has not heretofore been believed feasible.

In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated as an object thereof to provide a portable intermittent traction apparatus adapted for use with a wide variety of hospital beds or like supporting surfaces. A further object of this invention is to provide a portable traction apparatus of the type described of a high degree of flexibility, to permit the application of traction in a parallel direction to the supporting surface, notwithstanding the canted or tilted nature of the said surface, whereby cervical as well as lumbar traction may be imposed with available hospital beds.

A further object of this invention is to provide a traction device of the type described which may be quickly and easily mounted on a hospital bed or the like, even by persons of limited strength, such as nurses.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly of the type described with novel traction transmitting means whereby twisting and rotation of the harness, often found in intermittent traction devices, is eliminated and the forces which may be desired can be imposed free from detrimental components.

In order more fully to describe the invention and 2,871,853 Patented F eb. 3, 1959 -2 illustrate its use, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in whicht Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as mounted on a bed, with parts of the bed frame broken away to show details;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device mounted in of Figure 2. t

Describing theinvention in detail, there is provided an intermittent traction generator referred to generally as T, which has a pair of extending hook-like hanger sup ports 10, bolted or otherwise rigidly afiixed to the front of the case of the generator T. The tractiong'enerating mechanism, which is not a feature of the invention, may be of any of anumber of types, the mechanism used in the aforementioned pending application serving as an example of meansto supply intermittent traction controlled so far as amplitude, frequency and force of the traction stroke are concerned.

A threaded pull rod 11, which is operatively connected to the source of intermittent traction, is centrally spaced between the hanger supports 10 and extends outwardly from the generator T. The rod 11, which is provided with an axially aligned keyway 11a, is slidably guided by the external support sleeve 12 and, upon activation of the-traction source, reciprocates inwardly and outwardly through the sleeve 12, as indicated by' the arrows (see Figure 2). I i v The rod 11 is adjustably coupledto a patient-applied harness H throughthe medium of a cable or chain C, having an end fastened to the harness H and a portion. spaced from the said end removably attachable to a carriage C', adjustably supported on the rod 11.

Abo'ss 13, having a handle portion H and an extended shank portion 14, is internally threaded as at 15, to receive 'the rod 11. The shank 14 of the boss13 has a pair of spaced annular recesses 16 formed in the outer wall thereof. 1

A cable or chain receiving hook 17, with an inwardly projecting lug .18, is formed integrally with cup 19. The said cup has an internal bore 20 of a dimension to be closelysleeved over the shank 14 O-fflICbQSS .13. The end 21 of the cup19 is provided with ,an inwardly extending shoulder 22 of a diameter clearing but closely embracing, the threaded rod- 11. The cup 19is also providedflhrough, d all aPP d.. t l rep ljw th; apai of threaded, spaced-apart set screws 23 having-,unthreadedj extending stud portions 24. t

P 1 1 randhook. 17er o ned t e, b hreadsdowruthe rod y ,sleeveing the h rem otthe cup 19 overthe shank portion 14, with the lug 18 of the hook 17 positioned within the keyway 11a of the rod 11. In this position, the studs 24 are meshed with the annular recesses 16 in the shank 14 of the boss 13 by inwardly threading the set screws 23.

Rotation of the handle H serves to advance the hook 17 along the rod 11 toward or away from the patient, relative rotation of the hook 17 and the rod 11 being prevented by the positive interfit between the lug 18 and the keyway 11a.

The angular direction of application of the tractive force is rendered variable in a vertical plane by the provision of an adjustably extendible frame abutting spacer or brace 25 spaced for a distance from the hanger supports 10 to secure greatest amount of leverage in adjustment,

a} without loss of the counter-balancing gravitational force to resist tilting.

The brace 25 is rigidly affixed to a pair of side struts 26 and to a centrally extendedthreaded strut 27, the side struts beingmounted to permit them to be telescoped into the generator T within suitable journalsformed therethrough. The threaded strut 27 passes. through the stationary boss 28 afiixed by screws orweldsfto the rear: face of the generator casing, and extends for' a distance rearwardly thereof.

A capping nut 29, having acentral threaded passage 30, is threaded over the stud 27, the bore 31 of the nut 29 being of a dimension rotatively toreceive the stationary boss 28.

The wall of the nut 29'is radiallytapped to receive set screw 32, having an extended tip 33. The said tip 33, upon advancement ofsaid set screw32, acts slidably to ride within the annular ring 34 formed about theboss 28- and thereby linking the cap nut 29 and boss '28-against relative lateral or axial movement. The nut 29 is likewise equipped with a projecting handle or turn knob to facilitate rotation.

It will be readily recognized that when the hooks 10 of the generator T are supported on a horizontal framemember HF of a hospital bed or the like, extension of the strut 27 by rotation of the capping nut 29 will force' the brace 25 against frame members forming the. end (either head board or foot board) of the bed B; therebypivoting the generator T about the horizontal hanger member HF, acting as a trunnion. As a result of such n pivoting, the angular relation of the pull rod ll tothe patient supporting surface is varied, thereby varying the direction of application of the tractive force as may be found effective.

When the spring of the hospital bed is inclined to the horizontal (see Figure 2), the brace 25 maybe extended by manipulating the turn knob 35, thereby to inclinethe rod 11, thus assuring eflicient parallel or near-parallel application of the tractive force.

Variations on the magnitude of tractive force to be applied are made by varying the position of the carriage assembly C on the rod 11, it being understood that movement toward the generator T will increase the tension-and thereby increase the magnitude of forces, while conversely, movement away from the generator will'decreasethe said magnitude.

The assembly illustrated is equipped with optional novel switching means, providing the patient with a means of interrupting treatment in an emergency, without necessitating a change of position on the part of the patient.

The primary on-off switch S is located on the generator T. A jack J is adapted to receive a remote switch assembly RS, the said assembly acting, in the jack-inserted position thereof, to supplant the switch S as the primary means of control. The assembly RS may include a'switch unit of the automatic release or dead man type wherein the switch is spring-urged to the open position; A dead man type of unit is desirably employed in situations where constant patient supervision is not feasible, or where the patient, by reason of a restricting harness or paralysis, lacks full control and/or coordination. In such cases the dead-man switch may be arranged so as to be held in the closed position by the body weight of the patient, rolling or other movement of the patient serving to break the circuit and thereby to suspend application of intermittent traction.

By the above-describedconstruction, there is provided a highly portable traction unit which is capable of being speedily demountedfrom one. location and applied to another. The unit is highly flexible in that it may be used in combination with a wide variety of hospitalbeds and the like, at the same time providing a simple means of adjustment to vary the magnitude and direction of application of intermittent traction.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable intermittent traction device adapted to be adjustably mountable on the frames of a wide. variety of hospital beds and the. likecomprising hanger support means adapted pivotallyto. suspendsaid device on a horizontal frame. member of said: bed, adjustably extendible tilting spacer means adapted to cooperate with portions of the frame of said bed to tilt said device'about said horizontalmember as a pivot, and intermittent traction transmitting'means extending from said device, and adapted'to be'connected to a harness, the angular relation of said transmitting means to said bed frame being variable by varying the extension of saidspacer means.

2. A portable device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hanger supportmeans comprise spaced hook members;

3. Aportable device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said tilting means comprises at least one strut joined with thedevice'to form a'unitary structure therewith, ex-

tended between said device and a frame abutting member afiixed to said strut, said strut being variably extendible toward and away from said device.

4. A portable device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said strut comprises a threaded rod arranged to be extendible toward and away from said device by a rotatable handle complementally threaded to saidrod.

5. A" device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said traction transmitting means comprises an extended rod having an axially aligned keyway, a cable'engaging member longitudinally, slidably mounted on said rod, said last named member including a strut extending into said. keyway, and adjustable fastening means on said;rod arranged fixedly to position said cable engaging member at a selectedpoint along the length of said rod.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said rod is threaded and said fastener is rotatably mounted on said cable engaging means and comprises a collar surrounding and complementally threaded to said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,773,499 Zur Nieden Dec. 11, 1956 2,811,965 Richards Nov. 5, 1957 2,837,085 Tong June 3, 1958 

